US Army files complaint against NHL team Vegas Golden Knights

the idea’s not the very first time the Vegas team has encountered a backlash against its name. The College of St. Rose in Albany, fresh York, has been using the name Golden Knights since 2002. In 2004, the idea was granted a federal trademark.

In 2016, the U.S. Patent as well as Trademark Office rejected the hockey team’s attempt to register for a trademark, on the basis that will the idea would likely likely cause confusion with the previously registered Golden Knights mark.

Julian Perlman, a litigation partner at Phillips Nizer LLP in fresh York, advises companies on issues of trademark as well as copyright protection. The Army, he said, doesn’t “want people thinking that will This particular Vegas expansion team has the endorsement [of] or association with the Army’s parachute team.”

however Perlman predicted the idea would likely be a tough battle for the Army. “If they were going to litigate This particular case as well as try to stop them via using the mark, they would likely have to show evidence of confusion.”

Indeed, in its statement to CNBC, the Vegas Golden Knights organization said, “We are not aware of just one complaint via anyone attending our games that will they were expecting to see the parachute team as well as not a professional hockey game.”

Perlman interpreted the Army’s statement as an indication that will the idea’s actively negotiating with the NHL expansion team. “Perhaps they’re well on their way to a resolution, however the idea hasn’t gotten completely hammered out. They still have to protect their rights.” as well as part of protecting those rights is actually adhering to the process.

Perlman said the vast majority of trademark disputes are settled without the intervention of the USPTO.

Still, the idea might sting the owner of the Golden Knights, Bill Foley, who told CNBC in December how proud he was of his association with the military as a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point. He also served inside U.S. Air Force, as well as reportedly was actively working to get the Golden Knights parachute team to perform in Las Vegas, in connection with the launch of the hockey team.

the idea might be of some comfort to the Vegas Golden Knights as they work through the process of the application for a federal trademark to know the Army’s Golden Knights don’t have a trademark either.